3 Share Lead in MasterCard Championship

Hale Irwin began his quest to repeat as the top player on the Champions Tour by taking a share of the first-round lead Friday in the MasterCard Championship.

Irwin opened the season with a 6-under-par 66 to forge a tie with Dana Quigley and Steve Veriato.

Irwin, the 1997 winner here, got his third money title and player of the year award in 2002 at a record age of 57. He finished with earnings of $3,028,304 and won four times to push his tour-record total to 36.

Irwin made it look like 2002 all over again, carding the only bogey-free round on a sunny and blustery afternoon at Hualalai Golf Club.

Larry Nelson and Jay Sigel shot 67s, and were a stroke ahead of eight players _ including Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino.

Nicklaus and Trevino, both 63, are in the tournament on sponsor's exemptions. Nicklaus designed the 7,097-yard layout.

Arnold Palmer, also playing on a sponsor's exemption, shot his age _ 73.

Defending champion Tom Kite, playing with Palmer, opened with a 69.

The $1.5 million tournament is the first of 31 official events on the former Senior PGA Tour. This tournament is limited to players who have won a major title in the past five years or a regular-senior event the past two.

Twenty of the 36 entrants are within four shots of the lead.

Irwin nearly holed his second shot of the day to set up a tap-in birdie, and he was 4 under through seven holes. He also salvaged his round with a number of medium-length par putts, including an 8-footer at the last hole.

Quigley, playing in a record 202nd straight tournament, had an eagle and five birdies. He claimed his share of the lead with a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-4 18th hole.

Veriato, a native of nearby Hilo, also birdied No. 18 from 20 feet to get to 6 under in what is his only guaranteed start of the year.

Veriato qualified for this event with his victory last year in the Novell Utah Showdown, but is not exempt beyond this week. He lost his card after finishing 61st on last year's money list.